Scenographic apparatus.



No. 754,532. PATENTBDMAR. 15, 1904.

B. J. AUSTBN @L H. A. BRADWELL.

SCENQGRAPHIG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FIILED JAN. 24, 1903.

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,Zig-l No. 754,532. PATBNTEDMAR. l5, 1904.

E. J. AUST'EN &'=H. A. BRADWELL.

SGENOGRAPHIG APPARATUS.

APPvLIoATIoN IILED JAN. 24, 190s.

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E. J. AUsTBN A H. A. BRADWELL.

scBNoGRAPHIc APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24. 1903.

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' UNITED STATES latented March 15, 1904.

- PATENT OEETCE.

EDWARD J. AUSTEN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, AND HERBERT A. BRADWELL, OFCONEY ISLAND, NEW YORK.

SCENOGRAPHIC APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 754,532, dated March15, 1904;. Application tied January 24,1903. 'serialNa 140,413. (Nomodem To 2l/ZZV whom it T11/ay con/cern.-

Be it known that we, EDWARD J. AsTEN, a-

' subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at St. Louis, in theState of Missouri, and HER- BERT A. BRADWELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Coney Island, in the county Vof Kings and State ofNew York, have inventings, forming part of this specification,where yFigure 1 is a horizontal section on line 1 1 in Fig. 2 through a theatercontaining our improved scenographic apparatus; Fig. 2, a verticalsection thereof on line 2 2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a detached view,toenlarged scale,of the central portion ofthe circular platform formingpart of our invention as seen in' Fig. 2; Fig. A, a top plan thereofbroken away; Fig. 5, a detached view,to enlarged scale, of theperipheral portion of the circular platform as seen in Fig. 2; Fig. 6, atop plan thereof broken away; Fig. 7, a top plan, to enlarged scale,corresponding to that seen in Fig. 1 of the supporting girders andframework of the circular platform and its appendages, omitting thefiooring and central portion;'Fig. 8, a horizontal section, to enlargedscale, on line 8 8 in Fig. 2 through the upper part of the centralcolumn, showing the roof trusses broken away, radiating therefrom; andFig. 9, a detail view, to enlarged scale, of the toothed ring fixed tothe under sides, of the platform-girders with its engaging gear forrotating the platform.

Like letters and numerals of reference denote like parts in all thefigures.

A represents a theater having the outer surrounding wall L andcontaining, preferably, a central column from which the roof-trusses c,fixed thereto at their inner ends, radiate and are supported at theirouter ends by the wall a. The column b is formed with a base-plate bf,which is preferably integral with the body for insuring an extended andsolid bearing on the fioor CZ of the theater A. At a suitable heightfrom the fioor d, preferably around and concentric with the centralcolumn b, is arranged a circular platform e, on which are erected one ormore (preferablyl four, as shown) auditoriums 1 9 3 1, inclosed,respectively, by walls 5 and a roof or ceiling 6 and having itsproscenium .7 preferably alned or parallel to the periphery of theplatform e, each auditorium 1 2 3 4 containing the'seats 8 and otherusual accessories. rThrough the wall 5 in rear of each auditorium 1 2 3L is an opening 9, which 'communicates with a common central chamber orspace 10.

The circular platform e is composed of the flooring 11, which is laidupon the joists 12, supported on suitable beams or rafters 12', thewhole being firmly secured together and to girders 13, which arepreferably fixed at their inner ends to and radiate froma central blockor hub 14, made, preferably, in halves, secured to each other by bolts15 and formed with a central circular hole 16, through which the columnb freely passes. On the under side of the central block 11is formed acircular groove 17, which is concentric with the column band adapted toengage the balls 18, which have their bearing in a corresponding groove17/, formed in the base-plate o of the column b.

Fixed to the circular platform e, adjacent to its periphery andpreferably tothe under side of each girder 13, is a bracket 19, to whichis axially pivoted an upright fianged wheel 20, adapted to travel on andaround a circular rail or track 21, which is fixed on the fioor d.

To the under side of the circular platform' e, preferably to the underside of eachgirder 13 at a suitable distance from and concentric withthe column Z), is fixed a circular ring 22, (see particularly Fig, 5,)made in sectionsY riveted or bolted together and formed on its underside with teeth- 23, which are engaged by a correspondingly-toothedpinion 24, fixed on a horizontal shaft 25, which is mounted in bearings26, having a base-plate 27 fixed to the iioor d. On the shaft 25 isfixed a spurwheel 28, which is engaged by a pinion 29, fixed on a shaft30, the latter being mounted thereat in a bearing 31, dependent from thebase-plate 27 and extending therefrom horizontally beneath the fioor dto the outside of the wall a, where it is geared or connected in anysuitable well-known manner to an electric or other suitable motor, (notshown,) the whole operating to rotate the circular platform e slowly onits ball and wheel bearings around the central fixed column and circulartrack 21.

At a suitable distance from the inside of the wall a is arranged asky-screen 32, which is preferably concentric with the circular platforme, between the periphery whereof 'and the sky-screen 32 the desiredlandscape or scenograph 33 is arranged.

By the above arrangement of the parts on slowly rotating the circularplatform e an uninterrupted succession of scenery-such as that viewed ona journey across the American continent, Columbuss voyage across theAtlantic, or the like-is presented to the View of a spectator in eitherof the auditoriums 1 2 3 4 during a complete revolution or thereabout ofthe platform e.

At one part of thc theater A is a covered passage-way 34, whichcommunicates at one end through an opening 35 with the vestibule 36 andextends therefrom across the space between the wall a and the platforme. Through the inner end wall 37 of the passage-way 34, which is curvedconcentrically with the periphery of the circular platform e, arepreferably two openings 38 and 39, which are at a suitable distanceapart, so that when the proscenium-opening 7 of, say, the auditorium 1is opposite to the openings 38 and 39 communication is establishedbetween the passageway 34 and the auditorium 1, the opening 38 beingused as the entrance from the passageway 34 into the auditorium 1 andthe opening 39 vas the exit from the auditorium 1 to the passage-way 34,and so on in like manner as the auditoriums 2 3 4 are successivelybrought opposite to the openings 38 and 39 during the rotation of theplatform e.

By means of the rear openings 9 from the auditoriums 1 2 3 4 and centralchamber 10 exit is facilitated from the auditoriums through the openings38 and 39 and passage-way 34 to the vestibule 36 inV case of fire orother emergency.

Concentric with the platform e and encircling the auditoriums 1 2 3 4 ator proximate to the upper edge of the proscenium-openings 7 are arrangedone or more circular rows of lights f, which are fixed to the under sideof a circular and preferably inclined annular board g, suspended by asuitable frame z' from the roof-trusses c of the main building A,whereby a continuous, uniform, or variable light effect is produced uponthe landscape or scenograph 33, as desired.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In scenographic apparatus, the combination with an inclosed andrevolving auditorium having an opening through one side, of a scenographsurrounding the said auditorium and having its consecutive portions onlyvisible successively from the auditorium through the said opening duringa complete revolution, or thereabout of the auditorium, substantially asdescribed.

2. In scenographic apparatus, the combination with an inclosed andrevolving auditorium having an opening through one side, of ascenograph, a building containing the said parts, and a row of lightsdependent from the building and surrounding the said auditorium adjacentto the said opening, for producing variable light effects on thesuccessive portions of the scenograph visible from the auditoriumthrough the said opening, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of the subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD J. AUSTEN. HERBERT A. BRADWELL. Witnesses to the signature ofEdward J. Austen:

EDWARD W. EARRELL, GEo. L. BELFRY. Witnesses to the signature of HerbertA. Bradwell:

FREDERICK NArIER, CHAs. L. HAvENs.

